


Heartbreak Shared

by yalublyutebya



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: F/M, Heartbreak, Infidelity, M/M, Protective!Douglas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-08
Updated: 2012-08-08
Packaged: 2017-11-11 17:17:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/480953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yalublyutebya/pseuds/yalublyutebya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His boyfriend has broken up with him and the last thing Martin wants to do is help Douglas move house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbreak Shared

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this prompt](http://cabinpres-fic.dreamwidth.org/783.html?thread=2492431#cmt2492431) at the Cabin Pressure meme

There are many things Martin would rather be doing today - namely curling up in bed and refusing to move - but, well, he needs the money, and Douglas had asked him about as nicely as a Douglas can to help him move house. Douglas has been more than a little subdued lately, since revealing the new of Helena's affair, and Martin feels sorry for him, because no-one deserves that. Martin also knows just what Douglas is going through now, after Mark broke things off just three days ago.

  
They'd only been seeing each other for a few months, but Mark had been wonderful. He was fit and funny and, best of all, he liked Martin. At least it seemed he did. When Mark had said he thought they should split, Martin had thought he was joking for a moment - until he saw the serious look on Mark's face.  
  
"Why?" he had asked pitifully.  
  
"It's not you," Mark had said soothingly. "It's me. I just, I suppose I'm just not in the right place at the moment."  
  
"Is there anything I can do?" Martin had asked.  
  
"No, Martin," Mark had murmured sadly, bending to kiss him, before pulling back and smiling softly. "I just need some time to be, you know, alone. Single."  
  
Martin had swallowed past the lump in his throat and gathered up his belongings before leaving Mark's flat, trying to maintain his dignity at least until the door closed behind him. As soon as it had, he'd let out a rather pathetic sob and let the tears track down his cheeks as he'd made his way back across Fitton to his little room in the attic.  
  
Martin shook the memories away and grabbed the keys to the van off the bedside table. At least he could try to take his mind off Mark by helping Douglas today.  

  


****

Martin knocked on the door and waited patiently until Douglas opened the door and gave him a tight smile.

  
"Martin, hello."  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Come on in then," Douglas said, beckoning him in and already making his way along the hallway. He was so unlike his usual self it was unnerving; Martin almost missed the Douglas who constantly embarrassed or teased or outsmarted him.  
  
Martin followed in the direction Douglas had gone, reaching a large lounge just as a woman's voice spoke up.  
  
"He really doesn't mind helping, Douglas. Do you, Mark?"  
  
Martin entered to find Mark - his Mark - standing by the sofa, one hand resting on Helena's shoulder, giving Douglas a warm smile.  
  
"Mark!"  
  
"Martin!"  
  
"You know each other?" Helena asked, smiling up at Mark as she reached out to wrap her arm around Mark's waist. Martin thought he saw Douglas flinch out of the corner of his eye, but it barely registered as he was overcome with hurt. He stumbled backwards out of the room and ended up by the front door, bent over double as he tried to breathe slowly through the pain in his chest.  
  
"Martin?" Douglas called, hovering somewhere behind him.  
  
"I'm fine," Martin said quickly, straightening. "I'm completely fine. Totally, completely fine."  
  
Douglas gave him the most sympathetic look Martin had ever seen on Douglas' face, but before he could say anything, Mark appeared in the hallway, Helena just behind and looking confused.  
  
"Martin, I-"  
  
"Where are your things, Douglas?" Martin said, ignoring Mark as best he could and turning towards his first officer.   
  
"Just through here," Douglas said, pointing to a room just off the hall. Martin nodded and, without making eye contact with anyone else, made his way into the room. 

  


****

It didn't take long to get Douglas' things packed up into the van - Martin was almost surprised by how little Douglas actually had - and Martin waited by the van while Douglas said whatever he needed to say to Helena.  
  
Mark appeared at Martin's side, and Martin deliberately ignored him, staring at the ground.  
  
"Martin," Mark said softly, reaching out to touch Martin's arm. Martin shook him off in disgust, taking a step away.  
  
"Martin, I'm sorry," Mark said, keeping his distance this time. "You know, we were never really serious and, and I told you I liked women too. And Helena, she was lonely too, you know with you flying all over the place for days at a time and, well..."  
  
Martin could only stare at the floor, feeling almost sick.   
  
"Martin?"  
  
"I think my wife needs your assistance," Douglas said sharply, out of nowhere, and Martin raised his head to see Douglas staring Mark down. "And I'm sure Martin has far better things to do with his time than listen to you grovel."  
  
Mark looked like he wanted to protest, but Douglas continued to stare him down until, finally, he gave a sigh and glanced at Martin before backing away towards the house.  
  
Douglas wordlessly got into the van and Martin climbed in beside him, his eyes fixed out of the window.  
  
"You never said you had a boyfriend," Douglas said after a few moments of silence.  
  
"It wasn't serious," Martin said weakly, his hands clenching around the steering wheel.   
  
"Well," Douglas said after another long silence, "You know what you need. A drink. A bloody good one too, because you're going to be doing all my drinking for me."  
  
Martin looked up and gave Douglas a small smile.  
  
"I never have tried Talisker," Martin said.  
  
"Well, that's something we'll have to fix," Douglas said grandly. "Drinks are on Helena, because I'd much rather spend my money on fine Talisker for a friend than see her and that ridiculous excuse for a man get a single penny!"  
  
Martin smiled halfheartedly and Douglas settled back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for, Captain? Let's go and get you royally smashed."  
  
Martin couldn't help but laugh as he started up the van. He still felt a little sick and a lot hurt, but he suspected that Douglas wasn't going to let him dwell on it for a single second. And maybe that was exactly what he needed.  


End file.
